3 credits
Undergraduate students only
Prerequisite: No knowledge of Japanese language necessary, though
interest in, and enthusiasm for, Japanese literature is expected.
Course carries Intensive Writing credit. It can be used to fulfill
requirements for the major in EALC and Culture Studies credit.
Course description: This lecture/discussion course introduces the
student to a range of works currently considered central to Japanís
literary history and one that demonstrates the reach of classical
Japanís influence on post-modern American culture. Since the
primary texts date from the eleventh into the late seventeenth
centuries, some of the lecture sessions of the class and the
secondary readings will deal with the historical and political
contexts in which the texts were produced and originally read. We
will be reading all works in English translation. Class discussions
will center on interpreting the works with special attention to
issues of gender, genre, narration, and the connections between
literature and Japanese literary, political, and religious
discourses. In addition to exploring Japanís literary past, this
course aims to teach you basic skills in careful reading and
interpretation of literary texts which should be widely applicable
to other courses in literature, history, and related pursuits. You
will be evaluated on the basis of daily participation in class
discussions, and four 5-page essays, developed in consultation with
the instructor. You will receive two grades for the class: a letter
grade indicating your mastery of course content; and a grade of S or
N indicating whether or not you have satisfactorily met the
Intensive Writing requirement.